HOW TO GET FROM TIRANA TO OHRID (2025 GUIDE).
Ohrid is not the easiest destination to get to. But, please don’t let that put you off! It is 100% worth the effort.
In this blog post, we will set out the best way to get from Tirana to Ohrid, as well as alternative travel options to arrive as efficiently as possible to Ohrid.
Where is Ohrid?
Ohrid is a city perched on the eastern banks of Lake Ohrid – a large expanse of water neatly divided between Albania and North Macedonia. Ohrid is on the Macedonian side of the lake.
How to get from Tirana to Ohrid by bus
The easiest and most affordable way to get from Tirana to Ohrid is by bus. Whilst this may sound tricky, it is actually pretty straightforward and we think the best and most cost effective way to get from Tirana to Ohrid.
How long does the bus from Tirana to Ohrid take?
The bus should take around 3 hours, but in reality it does sometimes take a little longer due to the border crossing. The bus does not tend to stop at services and many don’t have toilets on board, so ensure you’re ready for that!
What to expect at the border crossing
Be sure to have your passport with you on the bus (and not in luggage storage) when you board the bus. You’ll need your passport when you cross the border from Albania to North Macedonia.
What normally happens is that the bus driver will collect all the passports on the bus, then pass these to the border officials. The border official will then return the passports back to each passenger on the bus. On our bus, one person was left without their passport initially – but this was soon rectified!
Sometimes you may have to disembark the bus, but this is not normally the case. Nevertheless, it’s best to prepare for this – have sunscreen, or clothing layers as needed.
It is possible that you’ll be waiting on the bus at the border crossing for a fair amount of time – perhaps 30 to 60 minutes.
Where does the bus from Tirana to Ohrid leave from?
Buses leave Tirana from the East Gate Bus Station – next to East Gate Mall. There is a bus from Tirana city centre to the station (Line 2) but it somehow evaded us, despite waiting 30 minutes. We opted for a cab, which only takes around 15 minutes from the centre.
At the bus station there are toilets and a cafe selling snacks and coffee. You are also close to a larger mall for anything else you need.
What time does the bus from Tirana to Ohrid leave?
There are a few buses each day and times change regularly. We recommend checking the bus times and booking tickets in advance – we use Bookaway.
How much does the bus from Tirana to Ohrid cost?
The bus is inexpensive – around 15 to 20 Euros depending on the time you choose and when you book. We would recommend booking in advance if you have a particular bus time you want to aim for.
We use Bookaway to reserve our tickets, but other companies such as Flix Bus are available – and you can buy tickets at the bus station too.
How to get from Tirana to Ohrid by train
At time of writing there is not train service between Tirana and Ohrid and this is unlikely to happen in the future. Instead, consider taking the bus from Tirana to Ohrid.
How to get from Tirana to Ohrid by private transfer
If you’d prefer to travel in a bit more comfort, it is possible to arrange a private transfer from Tirana to Ohrid. This may work particularly well for groups as the vehicles tend to be large.
Prices start at around 200 Euros. Find out more about private transfers here.
How to get from Tirana to Ohrid by car
It would be possible to hire a car and drive to Ohrid. Honestly, we wouldn’t really recommend this for a few reasons. Firstly, driving in Tirana is a little wild – the city is often rammed with traffic.
Secondly, you’ll have to cross a border from Albania to North Macedonia in a hire car – if you want to do this you’ll need to check that the hire company allows it.
Finally, once in Ohrid, you don’t really need a car. It is possible to explore on foot or take boat tours and water taxis if you want to see other areas around the lake.
That said, if you do want to hire a car – we would suggest hiring it from Tirana airport rather than the city. The drive is short – 131km. With good traffic this should take around 2 hours 30 minutes, but you can expect delays at the border crossing.
Alternative ways to get to Ohrid
We chose to fly into Tirana and travel to Ohrid by bus. The reason for this was two-fold – firstly, we love Tirana and wanted to swing by for another visit. Secondly, the flights to Tirana and back were far less expensive than flights to either Skopje or Ohrid airport.
That said, we wanted to highlight that crossing from Tirana to Ohrid is not the only way to slice the pie. In fact, you can fly into North Macedonia and travel to Ohrid overland.
Here are two alternative options.
Fly into Skopje
There are regular direct flights from many European countries and the UK on a daily basis to Skopje.
Although Skopje is in the same country as Ohrid, it is actually further away from Ohrid than Tirana. That said, the bus may be a little easier as there are no border crossings involved.
Buses run a few times a day and take approximately three hours. Find bus tickets here.
Fly into Ohrid
Ohrid is a smaller airport in North Macedonia. Coming from the UK, we couldn’t find direct flights to Ohrid – although there are a small number of European cities with direct connections to Ohrid.
Once in Ohrid airport, you can grab a taxi to travel for around 15 minutes to get to Ohrid town.
How to orientate yourself once you arrive to Ohrid
If you arrive by bus, you will end up at Ohrid Bus Station – found here. From the bus station to the lake is around a 2km easy walk. You’ll find places to stop for refreshment along the way. And of course, your hotel may be closer to the bus station – unless you are staying on the waterfront.
We didn’t see any taxis at the bus station when we arrived but it’s possible that you may be able to arrange one in advance via your hotel or Airbnb host in Ohrid.
A few arrival tips
One thing to do consider is that an Albanian SIM card will not work in North Maceodnia when you arrive to Ohrid. We recommend installing a Macedonian SIM, such as Airalo eSIM before you leave Tirana, this way you can use the data as soon as you arrive to North Macedonia. Although there is a cafe with WiFi in the bus station in case you get caught short!
Many hotels and apartments in Ohrid are quite informal – specifically, they don’t have a “reception”. Therefore, you’ll need to contact your host and confirm arrival time to avoid any waiting around.
You will also need access to Macedonian Currency – MKD (Macedonian Denar) when you arrive in Ohrid. It is sometimes possible to use Euros, but it is not the preferred currency. Card payments are sometimes accepted, but often not for small amounts. Once in Ohrid, ATMs near to the centre offer free withdrawals but there is not an ATM by the bus station.
Written by Emma
Wine Lover. Yogi. Hiker. Writer.
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One response to “How to get from Tirana to Ohrid (2025 guide)”
[…] The third option is to fly into Tirana in Albania. We chose this flight as Tirana is a great city to spend time in, plus flights into Tirana tend to be cheaper than Skopje. The bus from Tirana to Ohrid is an easy 3 hour journey – find out more about this here. […]